The present invention relates broadly to a sealing construction for providing a fluid seal intermediate a pair of opposed, mating parts or structures, and more particularly to a metal retainer therefor having seal receiving grooves adapted to be fabricated by coining or a like sheet metal stamping or forming process.
In basic construction, gaskets of the type herein involved are formed of one or more resilient sealing elements which are supported by sheet metal plate or other retainer which may be machined, stamped, molded or otherwise formed to conform to the geometry of the mating surfaces to be sealed. Particularly, the seal members may be molded-in-place or otherwise mounted in grooves formed into one or both sides of the retainer. Representative such gaskets are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,195,906; 3,215,442; 3,259,404; 3,578,346; 3,635,480; 3,720,420; 3,746,348; 4,026,565, 4,625,978, 5,890,719; 6,460,859; 6,553,664; 6,669,205 and 6,761,360 and in U.S. Pat. Appln. Pub. No. 2003/0025328A1; and US2002/0030326A1, and are marketed commercially by the Composite Sealing Systems Division of Parker-Hannifin Corporation, San Diego, Calif, under the tradenames “Gask-O-Seal.”
Retainer gaskets of the type herein involved are employed in a variety of sealing applications, such as in commercial, industrial, or military equipment, vehicles, or aircraft for compression between the opposing or faying surfaces of a pair of mating parts or structures to provide a fluid-tight interface sealing thereof. In service, the gasket is clamped between the mating surfaces to effect the compression and deformation of the seal member and to develop a fluid-tight interface with each of those surfaces. The compressive force may be developed using a circumferentially spaced-apart arrangement of bolts or other fastening members, or by a threaded engagement of the mating parts.
Heretofore, the retainer grooves, which may be single or double-sided or walled, have been formed by machining. As a relatively labor-intensive and slow process, machining thus constitutes a significant expense in the overall cost of the gasket. It is believed, therefore, that lower cost alternatives would be well-received by industry, and particularly for automotive and other high volume applications.